Just Breathe
by Ekanite
Summary: Something changes in the Avatar and Firelord's dynamic. After four years of unrequited love, could Aang finally be reciprocating Zuko's feelings? A series of interconnected short drabbles/one-shots exploring their relationship. Aangko, Zukaang.
1. Let Your Hair Down

**Hey readers. :D A fic for thee. I'm so sorry for abandoning you guys. **

**NOTES: Aang is 16 and has broken up with Katara, and Mai and Zuko are no longer together either.**

**Zuko POV. **

**Summary: Something changes in Zuko and Aang's dynamic. Zuko doesn't know whether he loves or hates the way his feelings for the Avatar strengthen.**

**Basically fluffy short chapters, each in different styles, culminating in a lemon, hopefully. Although depending on reviews, I may upload the lemon separately so that the rating can remain at T.**

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"Leave your hair down."

Zuko starts, dropping his brush with a soft clink. He sees Aang in the mirror and swivels slowly around. He draws his embroidered jacket across his chest, feeling so exposed.

"You're not done dressing yet, Zuko?"

He turns to see that that strange (delectable) smirk is back. Zuko can't decide whether he loves it or hates it or both.

"Neither are you," he points out dryly. Not that he hadn't noticed Aang's lack of clothing on his upper body earlier. The flat planes of his stomach, the tantalizing swoop of the blue arrow…don't drool or anything.

Aang grins lazily. "Mmm, yeah." He saunters over to the mirror and folds his lanky body into the chair just behind Zuko. Aang's legs brush the back of Zuko's knees. Even this most insignificant touch sets Zuko afire. And then, with no ceremony, Aang's long fingers pull the headpiece out of his hair and set it on the table. His hair cascades down his forehead, irritating his eyes but conveniently hiding a bit of his flushed cheeks.

"Better. Now you look like Zuko, and not the Firelord."

Zuko chooses not to respond, not trusting himself to give a coherent answer. He waits a few seconds before sighing, "We should get going."

"We should. But not when you're wearing that," he laughs and stands.

It is clear by their side-by-side reflections that Aang has changed a lot in the past three years. At 16, he is still growing into his new height, but possesses a kind of (magnetic) awkward grace. He is a head taller than Zuko, yet retains his lithe figure. His vibrant energy has cooled. He has become far more reserved, tactical, and as political-minded as could be expected of one of his age. And oh, his newfound charisma. The charming Avatar Aang, indeed.

However, he retains the simple joyousness and playful nature of his younger self—it just takes a little more to bring it out now. Zuko hopes that tonight's festivities will do so. Aang captivates him now more than ever, but sometimes he misses the Avatar he fell in love with four years ago.

He snaps out of his mild reverie just in time to feel Aang's hands on his shoulders. They slip down his throat—he can find no words. Tingling against the skin of his chest—his shallow breaths shudder. The slender fingers pause over his heart—it stops. And then the painfully delicious contact is gone.

Aang tugs on the ridiculous ornate lapels of his jacket. "You gonna take this silly thing off now? Or do I have to help you some more?"

Zuko is bewildered. He makes a little motion with his head. It could be a nod or a shake.

Aang shoots him an equally puzzled look. "What's wrong?" When Zuko just shakes his head and makes another vague motion, this time tugging at the sides of his jacket, Aang sighs. In one swift motion, his hands slip across Zuko's shoulders and the jacket falls to the ground. Then he tugs a still-dazed Zuko to his wardrobe.

"Wear this." He shoves a more casual shirt at Zuko and grabs a similar one for himself. "Hope you don't mind," he apologizes.

"...Whatever," Zuko responds gruffly. "Could you, uh, turn…?"

Aang just raises an eyebrow at him and then that smirk reappears. "You're sort of shirtless right now."

"Oh. Right." Zuko fumbles with the shirt for a second. His head comes out the arm hole.

"The Firelord isn't used to dressing himself on his own, huh?"

"No! I mean-I do. Sometimes."

"Need some help?"

Zuko glares playfully at him. He doesn't blame Aang for chuckling as he ducks into the shirt and straightens it, fabric and dignity ruffled. "No, I don't," he declares.

As Aang turns (he can almost hear that smirk) he half-wishes he had accepted the offer. Maybe it was pathetic, but he would take what he could get. A little touch here, a genuine compliment there-it could keep him going for days.

And maybe it was a trick of the firelight, or a trick of his longing heart, but he saw something different today in those stormy gray eyes.

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**Maybe I'm being overly ambitious…but…five reviews for next chapter, please? I'm very needy. ;u;**

**I have the next three or four already typed up, so you readers won't have to wait for long if I get my five. Comments, crits, amusing flames? And yes, I do accept anonymous reviews. **

**Now stop reading this mindless prattle and click that button.**


	2. Losing His Marbles

**I really appreciate you guys for taking the time to comment. :3 And please don't hesitate to sign in if you have an account so I can thank you properly.**

**REUPLOADED. Setting and some detail added.**

_**Shannon: **_** Thanks for being my first review! And yes, there will be a bit of possessiveness from Zuko's side, but Aang will sort of direct the relationship more. (I hesitate to use the limiting term 'seme').**

_**KC: **_**Of course I'm going to continue writing. I'm having way too much fun with this already. XD**

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"Why'd you abandon me, Aang?" Sokka mutters resentfully in his ear. "I can't handle that much…_girl…_at once. Although having Toph there helped."

That little comment earned him an elbow to the ribs.

Aang grins and rolls his eyes. "Helping Zuko look like he's going to a party and not a funeral."

Zuko frowns. "As the Firelord and Avatar, we really need to present ourselves better. We're so underdressed."

"No offense, Zuko, but this is kinda sad. The _monk's _got better fashion sense than you," Ty Lee pipes up.

The rare bit of snark earns her an equally rare smile from Mai. She even allows her friend to latch onto her arm as they walk ahead of the others.

This year, it's not just the Avatar who took a break from his whirlwind of duties to come here. Toph, Ty Lee and Suki, Sokka and Katara all somehow managed to synchronize their periodic visits for two glorious weeks. Their circle is complete, even fuller than before.

It is yet another Fire Lily Festival. Zuko swears he's been invited to six already, but he has only accepted the invitation to this one because of the presence of his friends and the convenient proximity to his palace. It should be an enjoyable event. There was a slight cultural revival after his father's downfall and Zuko is more than happy to play his part in it.

There is an enormous table set up in the middle of the grounds. For nobles only, of course. It is a huge oval of ornately carved oak, covered by a tablecloth of finest linen. Utterly gorgeous, and utterly excluding. After his short time traveling incognito, Zuko feels even worse about the chasm that divides rich and poor, privileged and destitute. But he shouldn't worry about that now. There is food and music and lights and flowers and friends.

Their group takes their time getting to their seats, and when they do they are not permitted to choose where they sit. However, the one upside to this is that Aang and Zuko absolutely must sit side-by-side for obvious political reasons. And so Zuko can have him all to himself for now. Sort of.

It's a sultry summer night, one of the hottest of the year, probably. The heat is only added to by the spectacular, elaborate lamps adorning the table and surrounding the festival tents. The area is packed already, with everyone from the lowliest peasants and crippled beggars to, well, the Firelord himself. Alcohol flows freely, mulled wines and frothy ales and stronger, harsher spirits that all who want to remember the night would do well to stay away from. There is no circus this year, but there are some truly talented sword-swallowers and a few other leftover carnies. Music pipes from the inviting entrances of colored tents, the varied international tunes mingling in a discordant kind of harmony.

And of course, there are lilies. They have been snipped by the hundreds from their grass beds. They peek through curtains of maidens' dark hair. They hang from the ceiling in ceramic pots. Their bright heads bob and sway from glass vases. They float like bloodstains on the water in urns. All the grounds are painted with their beautiful crimson. Truly a symbol of Fire Nation pride.

Zuko feels a little surge of affection for his country as he sits at his marked place. Aang is to his left, and his most high-ranking officials take up the next four places on either side of him. The other twenty or so seats are filled by his friends, who are officials in their own right, and various other important businessmen, nobles, and their families.

Somehow the little spinning-marble trick still enchants all present. Ten precious minutes are eaten up by their adoring titters as the marbles whirl faster and faster in Aang's slender, skillful hands. Zuko grows increasingly impatient, tapping his fingers on his leg, his brow deeply furrowed. It's amazing how juvenile he can be, after all he's been through. Yet he manages to be a capable and mature leader when it counts, judging by what Zuko has seen and heard.

"Whoo, sorry guys. My fingers hurt," Aang says, snapping his fist over the marbles. "What to do, what to do…" His eyes slide to Zuko and then all the way around the table before lighting suddenly.

He takes one between his index finger and thumb and floats it gently to the child of a noble who is scowling at him from across the table. His expression lightens only a shade as he snatches the glass ball from the air. The next marble goes to the only other child present. This one looks even gloomier than the other, and he just lets the marble fall to the table with a click.

The mother is stricken, scrambling to cover for her son's blunder towards the Avatar. "I offer my most sincere—"

Aang dismisses her concerns with an easy smile. "It's fine, madam."

She looks utterly awestruck at being addressed this way, and is probably about to lavish him with praise or maybe just drool.

Zuko stops her. His neck snaps around to fix Aang with a glare he really doesn't mean. He's gotten really good at those. After all, he has a reputation to maintain. Aang doesn't understand that when some rules of etiquette are breached, they can't be smoothed over so easily. This is the key difference between the two friends. Zuko is compassionate only when there is a deserving subject, and Aang…well, he had shown mercy to his greatest enemies.

"Aang…" He wants to say more, but his mouth goes too dry to speak as his friend's smile widens.

"Oh, Zuko, you wanted a marble, didn't you?" 

"A _marble_? Do I look like a four year old to you oh wait don't answer that," he rambles, growing incoherent as Aang grabs his hand.

He deposits the smooth, cold sphere in Zuko's sweaty palm and folds his fingers over it, smile stretching alarmingly all the while.

"Sorry, the very first one should have gone to you."

"Seriously, Aang?" Gathering his composure in a split second, he shakes his head. But he doesn't release the marble.

"I really need to get my priorities straight."

That's it. Aang looks away, begins his bright pointless small talk again, and all attention drawn so effortlessly away from Zuko.

It's enough to send Zuko's mind whirling, fast as the marbles. This plus their exchange just fifteen minutes earlier…_What does this mean? What is going on in that head? What is hidden behind that smile?_ He feels vaguely nauseous. Zuko reaches for a glass of mulled wine to settle his stomach. Then he thinks better of it and replaces it.

He wants to make sure that all the bizarre things that have already and will soon take place tonight are not alcohol-induced fantasies, but the observations of a lucid mind.


	3. ABANDONED

**THIS STORY IS ABANDONED**

**Please please **_**please **_**check the date of last update and publication, guys! This fandom was lovely, but I've long since abandoned it. I apologize for anybody waiting on updates. There won't be any. **

**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, but my writing has honestly bettered so much that these characterizations and plot and everything make me **_**cringe.**_** Glad you enjoyed it anyway.**

**Anyway, head over to the Zukaang tag on Tumblr or check my Favorites list. There's still good stuff out there, just no more from me.**


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